Dispensing device



1965 J. F. MINNOTTE, JR 39239192??? DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 18,1965 INVENTOR. JOSEPH F MINNOTTE,JR

A T TORNE Y5.

3,291,299 DISPENSING DEVICE Joseph F. Minnotte, Jr., 155 E. 50th St.,New York, NY. Filed Aug. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 480,733 4 Claims. (Cl.206-58) The present invention relates generally to a container for atowel or similar item, and more particular to certain improvementsenabling the efficient use of the container as a dispensing device.

There are a great variety of materials customarily put up in a supplyroll by being wound about a cardboard core and then consumed or used byhaving lengths of said material detached from the supply roll. Perhapsthe most popular of these materials is paper toweling. Moreover, fornumerous reasons such as to prevent the inadvertent unwinding of thesupply roll, or to protect the material from soilage during storage,etc., it is desirable that the supply roll be suitably disposed within aprotective container. Heretofore, however, it has not been possible toprovide an entirely satisfactory container which, for example, is anarticle of manufacture which is economically mass produced, or which,from the viewpoint of convenience and use, does not interfere with thedispensing of the material. This is particularly true in the 'case ofpaper toweling, which is relatively inexpensive and thus requires acorrespondingly inexpensive combination container and dispensing device.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome theforegoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it isan object to provide a dispensing device which particularly lends itselfto economical mass production, and which significantly facilitates thedispensing of the material.

An embodiment of a dispensing device demonstrating features andadvantages of the present invention is preferably an inexpensive plasticarticle of manufacture having a cylindrically shaped body member formedby a relatively thin, pliable plastic wall. Appropriate means areprovided internally of the body member for supporting the supply roll ina clearance position for free rotation within said body member. The bodymember is also provided with an appropriate exit opening therein for11nwinding a length of the material from the supply roll. When it isdesired to detach this length of material from the supply roll, it isnecessary only to exert an external pressure on the body member whichpresses the pliable wall of said member from its clearance positionabout the supply roll into frictional engagement with said supply roll.This has the effect of holding the supply roll against rotation whilethe user of the device readily detaches the unwound length of materialfrom the supply roll.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of a presentlyprefer-red, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dispensing devicedemonstrating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in section, of said dispensing device;and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view, in section, taken on line 33 of FIG.2.

Shown in the drawings is a paper towel dispensing device, gene-rallydesignated 10, which demonstrates features of the preesnt invention.Preferably the device 10 is fabricated as an inexpensive plastic articleof manufacture and has a substantially cylindrical body member 12 formedby a relatively thin pliable plastic wall. In an obvious manner thedispensing device 10 serves as an effective pro- United States PatentPatented Dec. 13, 1966 tective container for a paper towel P which inpractice is housed within the enclosure 14 defined by said device 10.Preferably, the paper towel P is of the type having transverseperforations 16 at spaced intervals along its length for readydetachment of length portions of said paper. Further, the paper towel Pis preferably put up in a supply roll 18 on a cardboard core 20.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the device 10, an end wall 22is molded integrally 'with the body member 12, while a detachable cap 24serves as the opposite end closure for the internal chamber or enclosure14. Thus, there is provided an end opening 26 for loading the supplyroll 18 within the dispensing device 10. Another comparatively largeropening 28 is provided in the body member 12 and serves as an exitopening for a length of paper P unwound from a supply roll 18 disposedin practice within the dispenser 10.

As is perhaps best shown in FIG. 2, a pair of facing axial projections30 and 32 are molded integrally on the end wall 22 and cap 24respectively, and in an obvious manner serve to mount the supply roll 18for rotation within the dispensing device 10. More particularly, thecardboard core 20 is fitted over each of the projections 30, 32, and itis contemplated that the radial dimension of the supply roll 18 will besuch that there is suflicient clearance space C between said supply roll18 and the inner surface 12a of the pliable wall forming the body member12. Thus, an end of the paper towel P is easily grasped and a lengthportion thereof unwound from the supply roll 18 through the exit opening28. When it is desired to detach the unwound length portion of the papertowel P from the supply roll 18, it is necessary only to exert anexternal pressure, by hand, on the pliable body member 12 which has thedesired effect of then holding the supply roll 18 against rotation. Thatis, as best shown in FIG. 3, the externally applied pressure iseffective to press the pliable body member 12 from its clearanceposition about the supply roll 18 into frictional engagement with saidsupply roll to effectively hold said supply roll against rotation. Whilethe supply roll 18 is thus held against rotation, it is contemplatedthat the user of the dispensing device 10 will snap the unwound lengthportion of paper towel P from the supply roll 18 along a line ofperforations 16.

Although not essential to the functioning of the device 10 as justdescribed, in a preferred form the pliable body member 12 isadvantageously provided with a medial reduced diameter section 1211serving as a convenient hand grip for the device 10. Spaced ribs 34integrally molded in the body section 12b serve to provide some rigidityto this section while not adversely effecting the ability to press thissection into frictional engagement with the supply roll 18 for thepurposes previously mentioned. Further, although not shown, if thesupply roll of paper toweling is not provided with perforated lines topermit ready detachment of length portions thereof, use can be made ofan appropriate cutting edge such as serrated teeth or the likeappropriately mounted along one of the long edges of the exit opening28.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corrseponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing device for a continuous strip of material comprising ahollow body member serving as a protective enclosure for a supply rollof said material, said body member having means internally thereof formounting said material supply roll in a position of clearance withinsaid body member for free rotation permitting the unwinding of a lengthportion of said material from said supply roll, said body member havingan exit opening therein for said unwound length portion and fabricatedof a pliable material such that pressure applied externally thereon iseffective to urge said body member from said clearance position aboutsaid supply roll into frictional contact therewith to hold said supplyroll against rotation during detachment of said unwound length portionof said material from said supply roll.

2. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 including end closuremembers for said body member, each of said end closure members havingaxial projections therein on which said supply roll is journalled forrotation.

3. A dispensing device for 'a continuous strip of material of the typehaving successive length portions detachable along transversely orientedperforated lines provided at spaced intervals in said materialcomprising a hollow body member having an outer wall defining aprotective enclosure for a supply roll of said material, said bodymember having at least one end opening therein for loading a supply rollof material within said enclosure and another opening therein forunwinding a length portion of said material from said supply roll, saidbody member further having means internally thereof for mounting saidmaterial supply roll in a position of clearance from said outer wallwithin said body member for free rotation therein during the unwindingof a length portion of material from said supply roll, and said wall ofsaid body member being fabricated of a pliable material such thatpressure applied externally of Said wall is effective to urge said wallfrom said clearance position about said supply roll into frictionalcontact therewith to hold said supply roll against rotation duringdetachment of said unwound length portion of said material from saidsupply roll along one of said perforated lines in said material.

4. A dispensing device for a continuous strip of material of the typehaving successive length portions detachable along transversely orientedperforated lines provided at spaced intervals in said materialcomprising a hollow body member having an outer wall defining aprotective enclosure for a supply roll of said material, end closuremembers for said body member each having axial projections thereon formounting a material supply roll therebetween in a position of clearancefrom said wall for free rotation of said supply roll within said bodymember to unwind a length portion of said material from said supplyroll, one of said closure members being removable from said body memberto uncover an opening into said enclosure for loading a supply roll ofmaterial therein, said body member having an exit opening therein forsaid unwound material length portion, and said wall of said body memberbeing fabricated of a pliable material such that pressure appliedexternally of said wall is effective to urge said wall from saidclearance position about said supply roll into frictional contacttherewith to hold said supply roll against rotation during detachment ofthe said unwound length portion of said material from said supply rollalong one of said perforated lines in said material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 870,445 11/ 1907Livermore.

1,909,527 5/1933 Fischer.

2,119,439 5/ 1938 Parmelee.

FOREIGN PATENTS 169,644 12/1951 Austria. 174,859 5/ 1953 Austria.877,188 5/1953 Germany.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner.

J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner.

4. A DISPENSING DEVICE FOR A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF MATERIAL OF THE TYPEHAVING SUCCESSIVE LENGTH OF PORTIONS DETACHABLE ALONG TRANSVERSELYORIENTED PERFORATED LINES PROVIDED AT SPACED INTERVALS IN SAID MATERIALCOMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER WALL DEFINING APROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE FOR A SUPPLY ROLL OF SAID MATERIAL, END CLOSUREMEMBERS FOR SAID BODY MEMBER EACH HAVING AXIAL PROJECTIONS THEREON FORMOUNTING A MATERIAL SUPPLY ROLL THEREBETWEEN IN A POSITION OF CLEARANCEFROM SAID WALL FOR FREE ROTATION OF SAID SUPPLY ROLL WITH IN SAID BODYMEMBER TO UNWIND A LENGTH PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLYROLL, ONE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBERS BEING REMOVABLE FROM SAID BODY MEMBERTO UNCOVER AN OPENING INTO SAID ENCLOSURE FOR LOADING A SUPPLY ROLL OFMATERIAL THEREIN, SAID BODY MEMBER HAVING AN EXIT OPENING THEREIN FORSAID UNWOUND MATERIAL LENGTH PORTION, AND SAID WALL OF SAID BODY MEMBERBEING FABRICATED OF A PLIABLE MATERIAL OF SUCH THAT PRESSURE APPLIEDEXTERNALLY OF SAID WALL IS EFFECTIVE TO URGE SAID WALL FROM SAIDCLEARANCE POSITION ABOUT SAID SUPPLY ROLL INTO FRICTIONAL CONTACTTHEREWITH TO HOLD SAID SUPPLY ROLL AGAINST ROTATION DURING DETACHMENT OFTHE SAID UNWOUND LENGTH PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLY ROLLALONG ONE OF SAID PERFORATED LINES IN SAID MATERIAL.